Bears fans are staring down an awkward Kyler Gordon conversation in mid-August, and the uncertainty around the starting slot corner is only getting louder.
Gordon’s issue has been hanging over the team since last year, when a soft-tissue injury in training camp never really went away. He ended up playing only three games before the Bears shut him down for the season, and this summer hasn’t brought much relief. He has not practiced in OTAs or since camp opened, which has left plenty of people around the team frustrated.
That frustration has now reached the point where comparisons are being made to another Bears headache. CHGO’s Adam Hoge, speaking on 104.3 The Score, said the situation has started to resemble the Bears’ experience with Nate Davis.
"This Kyler Gordon situation has veered into Nate Davis territory," Hoge said. "There were valid reasons why he wasn't on the field, and then it eventually just got to the point where everybody is a little fed up the guy's not out there. That's the vibe you get in the building."
The impatience inside the building has been obvious, especially from head coach Ben Johnson. He has grown tired of fielding questions about Gordon and has said the corner needs to "get healthy."
Gordon has clearly noticed the noise. He responded by posting on Instagram, showing himself working out and rehabbing.
Even with all of that, the bigger football issue is hard to ignore. When Gordon is healthy and playing, he’s viewed as a top-10 nickel corner in the NFL. He has been a strong starter for the Bears, but availability is driving the conversation now, and that’s where things get uncomfortable.
The Bears also have a financial stake in this. They gave Gordon a three-year, $40 million contract extension last offseason, and he has not earned any of it yet.
That’s why the next few weeks matter. If training camp starts to show that Cam Lewis or rookie Malik Muhammad can handle the job just as well, or even better, the pressure on Gordon will only increase. The Bears may end up liking the idea of Lewis, Muhammad, or another option taking over at nickel.
Gordon still has about four weeks to get healthy and back on the field, which would quiet things down quickly. Until then, the Bears are left with a question nobody around the team seems eager to answer: what happens if this keeps going?
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